The Challenge
Sanofi were a Paris 2024 sponsor. How could we leverage this to raise awareness of meningitis, a disease that affects 2.5M people globally each year, killing one in ten and leaving a fifth with impairments or disabilities?
The Smart Thinking
In 2023, the Meningitis Research Foundation, Confederation of Meningitis Organisations, Sanofi, three para-athletes affected and textile designer Laura Spring joined forces to create the Meningitis Flag, the first ever global symbol created by and for the Meningitis Community. The flag was inspired by para-athletes affected by meningitis. Because when they compete, they fly more than their country's flag; they fly the flag to defeat meningitis. As the flag was revealed to the co-creators, we captured their reactions and personal experiences.
The result was a campaign not just limited to Sanofi but also used by the Meningitis Community and PAGs. In 2024 the campaign evolved to include a bigger focus on sport as it took over Paris during the Olympic and Paralympic games, featuring in the official Olympic program, on the streets of Paris and as a full takeover of a central Paris metro station. Olympic and paralympic volunteers were equipped with over 20K pinbadges to honour the exchange tradition. A rallying cry to protect millions and a beacon of hope for those affected.
